Heating system for greenhouses or other buildings.



PATENTBD JULY 5, 1904.

C. C. PEGK.

HEATING SYSTEM FOR GREENHOUSES 0R OTHER BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. 1903,

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N0 MODEL.

UWE NTDR WITNE E Si '5 No. 704,003. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. 0. o. 1150K.

HEATING SYSTEM POR GREENHOUSES 0R OTHER BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 2, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'FIEHIIL @geom ,0000000061 ooooooooo OOOOOOOOG JFIG- IY- ,I NYE NTU R iUNITEDr STATES Patented July 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HEATING SYSTEM FOR GREENHOUSES OR OTHER BUILDINGS.` i

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,003, dated July 5,1904.

Application iiled March 2, 1903.

. To all whom 1315 may concern:

Beit known that I, CASsIUs CARROLL PECK, residing at Rochester, in thecounty of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a 5 certain newand useful Heating System for Greenhouses or other Buildings, of whichthe following is a specification suiiicient to enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is especially adapted to heating various classes ofgreenhouses in which many varieties of plants are grown and preserved;but it is also applicable to heating factories and large buildings andspaces which can be advantageously warmed by heated air mechanicallycirculated. It may be classed as a fan system of heating; but itembodies material modifications of previous practice in this generalclass of heating'. It is adapted to nearly all the applications where afan system of heating' is suitable-that is to say, wheremechanically-moved heated air can be properly employed for heating,evaporating, drying, or any other use. y

The objects sought and obtained are compactness of combined air andforcing devices, eiiieiency of heating-surface, avoidance of troublefrom air in heating apparatus, even heating of air, and avoidance oftraps, airpockets, and trouble from lack of circulation.

The system is of especial advantage in utilizing exhaust-steam fromengines, it being practicable to employ it both in connection 5 withcondensing-engines and with non-condensing' engines, as will behereinafter shown.

The elements and -many of the details of my invention are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which like parts in the ters.

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating my invention by proper grouping andconnection of the several parts. tion ofthe fan-blower and of thecentral propagating bed or table shown in Fig'. l, with arrewsindicatingthe course of air-currents, andlv also vshown in cross-section in Fig'.3.

LFig. SlisI a cross-section of a greenhouse and of three propagatingbeds or tables.

Fig. 4

several figures are indicated by the same let-l Fig. 2 is a side eleva-VSerial No. 145,835. (No model.)

is an elevation of that end of the air-heater which 1s opposite the fan,as shown 1n Fig. 1. ln the several views arrows feathered on both sidesindicate flow of steam, arrows feathered on one side the flow of water,and unfeathered arrows the direction of air-currents.

In Fig. 3, A indicates a greenhouse of an ordinary type of construction,having side walls a, roof a', and floor a2 and provided with side-wallplant-tables B B and a central plant-table B', which has beneath itan-airduct with side vents b', dampered at b2, as shown in Fig'. 2. Themovement of heated air, impelled by fan C, is indicated by arrows onplan shown in Fig. l. The end view of air-duct opposite fan C is notshown; but arrows in Fig. l are intended to show that said end isventilated and dampered by a slidedamper in same manner as the sides.Fan C is directly attached to air-heater D, the opposite end of which isshown in elevation in Fig. 4, where Z Z are air-heating tubes, fil thehead, having a hand-hole Z2 above and a manhole Z3 below the tubes, andshell (Z1, which rests on cast-iron cradles, one of which is shown at E.The head of heater at the fan end is of like construction with that atthe opposite end except there is no hand-hole or manhole.

In Fig. l, F is a centrifugal pump driven by vertical engine F andconnected with primary tank G by suction-pipe g and with airheater D bydelivery-pipe g'. Tank G can be used eitheras a reservoirforcondensingwater delivered by the circulating-pump of surface-condenserH, through pipe z., and branch L, having a valve LZ, or as a heatingtankwhen said condenser is not in use and exhaust-steam from engine I issent through pipe e' and branch a, having valve to noiseless heater-head3 into water in tank G. When condenser H is used, exhaust-steam isreceived into tank G through branch pipe f/, having valve 5, and aliet-condenser can be employed in place of a surface-condenser, asthetemperature of condensing-water at discharge from condenser can bemaintained at about the same point in either case. Also,

any other form of water-moving mechanism may be substituted forcentrifugal pump F. Likewise pulley c (shown in connection with fan C)is intended to be symbolical of' any suitable application of' power fordriving the fan. By closing valve t2 on branch pipe /L and opening valveon branch pipe h3 the circulating-pump of' condenser can delivercondensing-water directly into the body of air-heater D, from whichwater is returnable by pipe J to secondary tank K, thesuctionpipe d ofsaid circulating-pump having valve t, being connected with tank K, so asto draw the supply of' condensing-water from said tank, and thus heat itfor recirculation through air-heater D, or by closing valve/1l7 andopening valve s in branch suction-pipe 1f condensing-water can be takenfrom any other source, as must be done when water in tank K becomes toohot for effectiveness in condensing steam and maintaining requireddegree of vacuum for engine I or other engines which I symbolizes andwhich depend on condenser H for vacuum. When all of' the supply of'condensing-water for condenser H cannot be taken from tank K on accountof high temperature, a portion may be thus used and another portiontaken from a cooler source of supply through pipe el" by properadjustment of Valves 'i7 and f/s on the respective suction-pipes. TankGr can serve at the same time as a reservoir for discharge-water fromcon denser H and as a heater for bringing up the temperature ofheating-water for the heat-circuit to any desired point for deliverytoair-heater D. In this case exhaust-steam from one or more non-condensingengines would be sent to heater-head vf" through pipe 17, this pipebeing shut 0H from pipe t, which latter would be connected with one ormore engines running condensing. Tanks G and K are connected near theirtops by an overflow-pipe L, having a valve Z for the purpose of insuringthat each tank shall be kept filled, as desired, the surplus from bothbeing carried to waste by branch pipes man and main pipe M. Air-heater Dis preferably set at such level with respect to tanks Gr and K as toremain always filled with water, and the arrangement of' returnwater-pipe .I assumes this condition. When the top of heater D is set ashigh as the tops of tanks G and K, (which tops should be about alike inheight,) then return-pipe J should have a U-bend equal in height to thetop of heater D in order to keep the latter completely filled with watercirculated by pump F.

Boilers N N are intended primarily for supplying steam to one or moreengines, as I, through pipe a, the exhaust-steam from which engine orengines goes to heat water for airheater D, as already described; butwhen the supply of' exhaust-steam is insuflicient or when noexhaust-steam is available live steam from said boilers is taken by pipeof, having valve In?, either directly into water in air-heater D througha noiseless delivery-head or into an equivalent coil in heater D formaintaining the temperature of its water at any required point. Ineithercase surplus water resulting .from condensation of steam can bereturned into boilers N N by a receiver and automatic pump or otherequivalent means; but whenever exhauststeam is used in conjunction withlive steam for heating the water-supply of air-heater D one or both ofthe tanks Gr and K and a pump F must be employed to effect circulationbetween said tanks and heater D.

rIhe grouping of' parts in Fig. l is not inf tended to representdistances at which the several devices and constructions are required tobe set one from another, exact distances netbeing essential. Thusboilers, engines, condensers, tanks, and water-forcing pumps arenaturally assembled in one building or in buildings near together, whileair-heaters and fans will usual-ly be located in the building orbuildings which are to be heated, and these latter may be, atconsiderable distance from the source of water and heat supply, itbeingone of the advantages ofthe system of forced circulation of' theheat-vehicle that heat can be sent long distances and without regard tolevels of' piping, there being no special difiiculty and but a smallpercentage of loss of' heat from wellinsulated pipes in locatingheat-delivery at a mile or even more from boilers.

Having described means and method of supplying air-heater D with hotwater, it remains to make clear the manner of heating and distributingair to space which requires to be warmed.

Heater D is similar in construction to a return tubular boilerhthat isto say, it has, in common with said type of' boiler, a shell, heads,tubes, a manhole, and a hand-hole. It differs, however, in having tubesin practically the whole of the tube-space, in having' the flanges ofboth heads turned outward, and in having the fan end constructed fordirect attachment to a fan-ease, although where necessary or mostconvenient fan C can be set apart from heater D and connected thereto bya pipe. Said fan can be used either for forcing air through tubes (l ofsaid heater or, as shown in Fig. l, for drawing air through said tubesand then forcing it where required for warming or other purpose. InFigs. 1, 2, and 3 unfeathered arrows indicate that the arrangement ofthe fan C provides for forcing air which said fan draws through and isheated by tubes Z into pipe e' and air-duct beneath plant-table B,thence through holes b in sides and end of said ductinto the body of'greenhouse A. By providing a proper number of said holes and having themof sufiieient size and dampered, as shown at b2, even distribution ofthe volume of air and amount of heat delivered by fan C can be secured.To this end the number and total area of said holes should give aconsiderable excess of area required for the fan capacity, so that onwindy days holes on IOO IIO

one side of duct opposite the windy side can be closed to a considerableextent in order to send most of the volume of moving air out on theAwindy side of said duct. Air-duct b can usually be located withadvantage near the floor-level, so as to have heat-delivery as low downas practicable; but it is shown in a more elevated position for the sakeof .greater clearness. Similar ducts can also be located beneath sidetables B B and connected with de4 livery-pipe c of fan C. When the shellof heater D is left uncovered, it acts as a radiator for warming thatend of greenhouse A. On this account and also because flow of air intothe body of greenhouse A is constantly toward heater D the greatestamount of air passing through duct 7) must be discharged nearest the endfarthest removed from fan C in order to attain an even temperatureythroughout the whole greenhouse. Constant and positive movement of airthroughout the greenhouse in a continuous circuit counteracts theeffects of air-leaks in causing cold spots and tends to keep the wholegreenhouse-inclosure uniformly warmed. Fan action and air-delivery canbe reversed, air being drawn into duct I) and forced by fan C throughtubes d in heater D; but in this case heated air is not sent intogreenhouse A at so low a level, and hence is not so eiiicient in evenlyheating the whole inclosed space.

The use of a fan for drawing or forcing air through heater D not onlyenables an even distri bution of air through greenhouse A to beeffected, but permits the amount of heatingsurface to be the smallestpossible, because of eiciency of said surface when in contact withmoving air.

This system is suitable for warming various classes of buildings,scarcely any modification being necessary up to the point ofair-distribution, which latter is only a matter of properlyproportioning and arranging air-ducts, with size and form of air-heaterto correspond, to get good results in economy, even temperature,ventilation, and avoidance of excessive velocity of air-currents whichwould cause objectionable drafts or movement of dust, and in theserespects each installation requires special adaptations to meetindividual conditions.

I do not confine myself to the form of airheater D as shown, as the formmust be governed in a measure by conditions of location and `use. Thus arectangular form of shell can be employed, in which case air-tubes canbe set either lengthwise or crosswisc or both ways, o'r tubes in anyform of heater can be set vertically. The essential feature of this partof my invention is that water of the heating-circuit shall occupy thebody of the heater and that air-tubes for heating air to warm the spacewhich it is desired to warm shall pass through the body of water in theheater.

Air heated by this system can be used for i drying solid substances andevaporating liquids.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1.. In a. heating system, the combination of an air-heater; a primaryand asecondary tank; a liquid-circuit in operative relation with saidair-heater, taking water yfrom said primary tank and delivering it intosaid secondary tank; a connection between said tanks; a condenserreceiving water from said secondary tank and delivering it to saidliquid-circuit; means for conducting exhaust-steam to said condenser;valve mechanism for controlling the flow of liquid through saidliquid-circuit; means for circulating the liquid through said circuit;and means for forcing air through said airheater and for distributingthe same, substantially as set forth.

2. In a heating system, the combination of an air-heater, aliquid-circuit and a live-steam pipe in operative relation with saidair-heater, said liquid-circuit including a primary tank and. asecondary tank, and a condenser receiving water from the secondary tankand delivering into the primary tank, Valve mechanism for controllingthe flow of liquid through said liquid-circuit; means for conductingexhauststeam to said condenser, means for circulating the liquid throughsaid circuit, and means for forcing air through said air-heater and fordistributing the same, substantially as set forth.

3. In a heating system, the combination of an air-heater; aliquid-circuit, including a primary tank and a secondary tank; and acon.- denser receiving water from the secondary tank and delivering intothe primary tank; valve mechanism for controlling the flow of liquidthrough said liquid circuit; means whereby exhauststeam may be deliveredeither to said primary tank or said condenser; means for circulating theliquid through said circuit; and means for forcing air through saidair-heater and for distributing the same, substantially as described.

4. In a heating system, the combination of an air-heater; aliquid-circuit; including a primary tank and a secondary tank; and acondenser receiving water from the secondary tank and delivering intothe primary tank; means whereby said condenser may delivercondensing-water either to said primary tank or said air-heater; valvemechanism for controlling the flow of liquid through said liquidcircuit;means whereby exhaust-steam may be conducted to said condenser; meansfor circulating the liquid through said circuit; and means for forcingair through said airheater and for distributing the same, substantiallyas described.

5. In a heating system, the combination of an air-heater; aliquid-circuit, including a pri- IOO IIO

uid-circuit; means for circulating the liquid 10 through said circuit;and means for forcing air through said air-heater and for distributing'the same, substantially as described.

CASSIUS CARROLL PECK.

Vitnesses:

J No. N. MCANARNEY, CHAs. Gr. SHEPARD.

